Key Points
- The Award Winners: Two Bristol establishments – Bank in Totterdown and Lapin at Wapping Wharf have managed to earn places among CODE Hospitality’s Happiest Places to Work for the second year in a row.
- Scoring Method: After a long judging process, which includes anonymous surveys completed by employees, both of the aforementioned venues got an excellent score of 9.44 out of 10.
- Criteria for Scoring: Both restaurants got a rating of 9.5 or higher in key criteria, such as workplace safety, prompt payments, inclusivity, leadership, and staff recommendation rate.
- Formal Announcement: The winners were announced at a ceremony which took place in Belgravia and celebrates the most people-oriented and innovative companies in the UK hospitality industry.
- The Leadership Position: According to Pete Gavan, the Senior Editor of Bristol Live, co-owner Dan O’Regan noted that great hospitality can only come from highly-valued happy staff and that it is far removed from historical industry practices.
Bristol (Bristol Express News) September 12, 2026 — Two prominent Bristol dining establishments have successfully cemented their reputations as exemplary employers after being named among the nation’s happiest workplaces. As reported by Pete Gavan, Senior Editor of Bristol Live, Bank in Totterdown and Lapin at Wapping Wharf have made CODE Hospitality’s prestigious list of Happiest Places to Work for the second consecutive year.
The accolades were officially unveiled during a high-profile awards ceremony hosted in Belgravia. According to findings published by Bristol Live, this year’s triumphant venues represent some of the most forward-thinking and people-focussed employers operating within the United Kingdom hospitality sector. The achievement follows a rigorous and in-depth evaluation procedure designed to audit workplace culture from the ground up.
What Was the Judging Process Behind the CODE Hospitality Awards?
To determine the honourees, CODE Hospitality deployed a comprehensive evaluation method that relied heavily on direct feedback from frontline staff. As detailed by Pete Gavan of Bristol Live, the organization required team members to submit completely anonymous questionnaires detailing their day-to-day experiences in the workplace.
Through this transparent methodology, fire cooking neighbourhood restaurant Bank and contemporary French restaurant Lapin achieved a stellar overall score of 9.44 out of 10. The survey itself measures overall workplace happiness across 11 distinct key areas, shining a vital spotlight on best employment practices and ensuring that the wider hospitality industry can evolve for the better.
Judges closely analysed the operational ethos of both venues, which are co-owned by Dan O’Regan and head chef Jack Briggs-Horan. As noted by Bristol Live, the judging panel remarked that Bank and Lapin operate in a manner that “feels like a business that genuinely lives its values, rather than simply listing policies or benefits.” Furthermore, the judges specifically highlighted ‘thoughtful people-focused benefits’ and ‘outstanding investment in training’, while praising what they identified as ‘a genuine commitment to employee development, with real examples of people joining the business and progressing their careers.’
What Did the Detailed Scoring Reveal About Workplace Culture?
The anonymised questionnaires yielded exceptional results across the board for both Bristol venues. As reported by Pete Gavan of Bristol Live, Bank and Lapin secured scores of 9.5 or higher on several critical parameters.
These high-scoring areas specifically included questions relating to:
- Employees feeling comfortable, safe, and secure within the physical workplace environment.
- The absolute reliability of timely payment practices.
- The business actively welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Business leaders demonstrating supportive, respectful, and inspiring management styles.
- Employees willingly and enthusiastically recommending their workplace to a friend.
How Have the Restaurant Owners Responded to the Recognition?
Reacting to the successful retention of their titles, co-owner Dan O’Regan spoke candidly about the shifting cultural landscape of the catering industry. As quoted by Pete Gavan of Bristol Live, Dan O’Regan stated that:
“I truly believe that exceptional hospitality requires happy, valued team members, and yet our industry has a well-earned reputation for berating its servers and – as my business partner Jack recalls – young chefs having pans thrown at their heads.”
Elaborating on how professional standards are changing for the better, Dan O’Regan added, as documented by Bristol Live, that:
“Thankfully, many restaurants have been busy updating the rule book, and are now investing in their people’s wellbeing and progression in the workplace. This is of fundamental importance to Jack and myself, so we’re genuinely delighted to have received such high scores from our own staff. Most often, what we’re actually hiring in hospitality is potential, and it’s our job to create an environment where our team members can realise it.”
Background of the Particular Development
The inclusion of Bank and Lapin in CODE Hospitality’s list highlights a broader, much-needed cultural shift within the UK hospitality sector. Historically plagued by reports of long hours, low pay, intense pressure, and toxic kitchen environments—typified by high-stress operational models—the industry has faced severe recruitment and retention challenges, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit.
CODE Hospitality established its Happiest Places to Work initiative to combat these systemic issues by championing employers who prioritize staff wellbeing, mental health support, transparent compensation, and structured career progression. Venues like Bank in Totterdown and Lapin at Wapping Wharf represent a modern wave of independent hospitality businesses that view staff retention and fair treatment not as optional perks, but as the foundational pillar of sustainable, high-quality business operations.
This ongoing recognition of progressive employment practices in independent Bristol establishments is likely to accelerate a competitive shift in local recruitment. As prospective front-of-house staff and culinary professionals increasingly prioritize mental health, fair pay, and supportive management over traditional prestige, venues that fail to modernize their workplace culture will likely struggle to attract and retain top-tier talent.
For consumers and diners, this development signals a positive trajectory: restaurants that actively invest in their staff wellbeing tend to deliver more consistent, attentive service and higher culinary standards. Consequently, Bristol’s reputation as a progressive, high-end food destination will likely be reinforced, encouraging other regional hospitality operators to adopt similar people-first frameworks to remain competitive in a demanding economic climate.
